FROM TRIED AND TRUE TO CUTTING EDGE

The District's Garde Arts Center, a restored 1920s Moroccan-style movie palace hosts everything from Broadway musicals to performances of the resident Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra. Theater or puppetry can be found on the waterfront or in historic churches, offering everything from Shakespeare to original Latino plays.

Art galleries tucked into side streets offer locally designed clothing and jewelry and an eclectic variety of visual art. The local arts co-op manages an ever-changing show of national, regional and local artists, while the co-op's towering "naked ladies" preside over the Art Park where plays, readings, music and movies can be enjoyed on summer nights. And perched on the hill overlooking The District and the harbor, with its stately classical façade, is the regional art museum, housing collections ranging from the Connecticut Impressionists to early American furnishings and offering exhibits of the best in contemporary painting and sculpture. 

EVENTS     DINING & NIGHTLIFE     SHOPPING     ARTS & CULTURE